The Hardball Times' Chris Constancio has identified Drube as one of the top 3 most improved minor league contact hitters.

the link: http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-most-improved-minor-league-hitters-of-2007/

While it is not exactly 'gushing' praise, and it certainly has to do with him being at a too-advanced level for his age in the years prior, it is nevertheless encouraging to see him recognized for his progress. Hopefully he will maintain his rate of improvement.

Both of these players were/are considered 5-tool player-prospects. This is a summary of their achievements.

Prospect A: (age 24 in 2007)
totals from 6 yrs in minor leagues (559 games)
.277 BA, .345 OBP, .452 SLG, .797 OPS, 66 HR, 77 SB, 203/524 BB/K

Prospect B: (age 26 in 2007)
totals from 7 yrs in minor leagues (556 games)
.293 BA, .335 OBP, .401 SLG, .736 OPS, 20 HR, 64 SB, 131/299 BB/K

Best minor league season:
A (age 20, A+ level):
.282 BA, .345 OBP, . 513 SLG, .853 OPS, 20 HR, 17 SB in 110 games

B (age 22, AA level):
.352 BA, .402 OBP, .527 SLG, .923 OPS, 11 HR, 11 SB in 127 games.

Major league experience:

A (age 23, MLB):
.272 BA, .288 OBP, .360 SLG, .648 OPS, 1 HR in 43 games

B (age 23, MLB):
.286 BA, .338 OBP, .383 SLG, .721 OPS, 1 HR in 111 games
 (age 24, MLB):
.262 BA, .306 OBP, .397 SLG, .703 OPS, 10 HR in 146 games
 (age 25, MLB)--breakout year
.302 BA, . 349 OBP, .516 SLG, .865 OPS, 17 HR in 128 games

Any idea whom these respective players are?

If you figure it out, you will understand why I am posting it here, and why we should pause to reconsider some of our trade suggestions.

http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061206&content_id=1752752&vk ey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl

If Horatio is all it takes to net a young fireball reliever on the cusp of closing, would not the Indians have some arms to deal? (Byrd, Stanford, Guthrie come to mind. . . i.e. a proven starter and a potential starter, or some mix thereof). If Soriano has been available, why not a single rumor that the Tribe is after him? Shapiro obviously has had no problem  working with Seattle in the past.
One could argue that Soriano = an expensive Cabrera with an injury history, but when healthy, he's dominant:
http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=400089

Seattle lost out on Schmidt, and have plenty of cash to spend. Horatio has two good (middle rotation) seasons to his name (2003, 2005) mixed in with injuries and mediocrity.
And would anyone really mind going with Fausto in the rotation instead of Byrd?

Any thoughts?

...but nonetheless of some importance going forward. It is not "burning" because we will probably not see him in Cleveland before 2008, but I am afraid we were a bit hasty in assigning Asdrubal Cabrera a nickname, "AstroCab". It's rather ungainly, don't you think? Perhaps it was because he came into the organization unexpectedly and his name is, let's say, odd.
I think I have a better solution, one which, with its mythico-primitive sound would satisfy that urge to communal utterances, the sheer pleasure in sound lost to us with the departure of Merloni but partially regained with the acquisition of BLC.
And the solution is: Drube.
He turns a sweet DP...Drube...Droooob!

So what do we think?
Drube! Drooooob!

This post is not intended to reduntantly reiterate the ineffectiveness and seeming lethargy of the one who currently patrols approximately 5 square feet surrounding the X where a shortstop is supposed to stand, but rather to speculate on how far the Indians staff are from the point of no return concerning Peralta's future.
Whatever pills the Wedgie takes to control his facial contortions must not be readily available in the state of California, as his emotions seemed to bypass his censoring mechanism during the post-game interview, and he let this incredible quote fly:

the context: Mark Ellis hit a slow roller toward left. Shortstop Jhonny Peralta was able to get to the ball, but he couldn't quite get it into his glove, and Ellis was on first with a single.

the quote: "[Peralta] should have made the play," manager Eric Wedge said, clearly frustrated with a season's worth of watching his defensively challenged infield. "I'm tired of talking about the guy.

"We've challenged him in about every way you can -- in terms of his pregame work, in terms of his first step and just what he needs to do out there. He's going to have to do better for him to be the defensive shortstop that we need him to be."

Yes, I believe we too are "tired of talking about the guy", but c'mon, "the guy"? It sounds as if they are so disgusted with Jhonny that they cannot even bear to think about him anymore.
Has the last drop fallen into that proverbial bucket? the final straw been drawn? the fire on the bridge been lit? And if so, where the hell do they go in search of a rental middle infield?

I know that Crowe is only batting .267 in Akron (33 games), but he does have a 1/1 K/BB rate (actual numbers, 16/16) and 15 SB. Is there any chance that he is in Cleveland in early 2007? (not starting there...or maybe so). I know that I might be putting pure hope above of sound development standards, and fear of rushing the kid, but Crowe as leadoff batter on this team makes this team incredibly dynamic.

Also--as Jay pointed out with Sizemore's R/L splits, it does not make any sense whatsoever to have Grady as leadoff hitter (getting 5 AB's/game) against LHP. Will Michaels be retained, and if so in 1st spot v. LHP? Gut? Then whom?  

I hate to say a bad word about Vic, as he is brilliant with the bat, but some serious work needs to be done with him behind the plate. And not just about the running game...I replayed Konerko's 1st inning shot from last night. Lee actually made an excellent pitch. But what I noticed was that Vic was positioned so far to the outside of the plate that a pitch which painted the outside corner was targeted to Vic's inside (left) knee (if you picture what I mean...normally that pitch would be backhanded, but he was lined up to catch it as if it was an inside pitch). I'm sorry, but if a catcher slides that far outside PRIOR to the pitch (bacause he can't do it while the pitch is on the way), he is essentially telling the batter (Konerko) where it's going to be thrown. I would think this puts the pitcher at a serious disadvantage, or at least takes away that (fraction of a) second of uncertainty on the batter's part.
I am certainly not the first to notice this. Why hasn't it been addressed?

If the Indians beat Buehrle tonight, I'm afraid that the Sox are finished. Don't get me wrong...I don't say this because of one team playing better or worse, about games remaining, about "momentum", about logic, talent, or anything like that. It's just that if the Indians actually beat Buehrle, you will know that you are up against something much, much greater and more sinister than 9 guys on a field and a bullpen. You are up against some odd destiny, some cosmic misalignment, because, as we all know, the Indians never touch Buehrle...can't beat him...ever.

Mark these words: If Casey Blake gets a hit off Buehrle, just turn off your sets, pull the plugs on your radios, or head for the parking lot...because that will be the sign.